SANTA ANA, Calif. – A former high school teacher and youth baseball coach was sentenced today to five years in state prison for possessing child pornography and sexually assaulting a young teen he met through a volunteer organization. Ezequiel Christopher Barragan, 50, Aliso Viejo, pleaded guilty to four felony counts of performing lewd acts on a child under the age of 14, three felony counts of lewd acts on a child between the ages of 14 and 15, and one felony count of possession of child pornography. In addition to his prison sentence, Barragan must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

At the time of the crime, Barragan was a Spanish teacher at Dana Hills High School (DHHS) in Dana Point. Over the last 20 years, the defendant has been involved in coaching youth baseball at various leagues of various ages, including the junior high and high school levels. Barragan has also previously volunteered with Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Children in Orange County, where he was in contact with child and teen victims of abuse and neglect.

Barragan met John Doe through his involvement with CASA. John Doe was not a student at DHHS.

On multiple occasions between Aug. 14, 2012, and Feb. 7, 2015, the defendant sexually assaulted the victim, who was between the ages of 13 and 15 when the sexual assaults occurred.

Between April 9, 2015, and May 4, 2015, Barragan possessed child pornography, including nude images depicting boys between the ages of 12 and 16.

A U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) agent contacted the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF), who investigated this case.

Deputy District Attorney Heidi Garrel of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.